Coiled spring electrical connector



July 12, 1960 R. R. TARBUCK COILED SPRING ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Filed Nov. 30, 1955 INVENTOR.

ROBERT R. TARBUCK ATTORN EY COILED SPRING ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Robert R. Tarbuck, West Chester, Pa., assignor to Burroughs Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Filed Nov. 30, 1955, Ser. No. 550,085

4 claims. Cl. 339-18) The present invention relates to the electrical interconnection of terminal and more particularly to a novel connector for association with assemblies wherein a plurality of contactors are to be supplied from a common source of voltage.

In connectors for a like purpose it has heretofore been the practice to employ a solid bus bar into which connections are screwed on in fixed positions or soldered on where needed. Both methods are expensive where multiple circuits are concerned and are furthermore very restricted because limited to linear arrangement of contacts or contactors. In other instances conducting wires have been tried because such are less restricted to contact arrangement but are open to the objection of having to be cut to size, introduce slack wire problems and again introduce expensive soldering of terminals.

An object of the present invention is to provide a novel connector for interconnecting contactors or contacts wherein the foregoing disadvantages are eliminated.

Another object of the invention is to provide a flexible connector capable of interconnecting contactors or contacts whether arranged symmetrically or unsymmetrically.

Another object of the invention is to provide a flexible retractible connector arranged in assembled condition to be under a tension which is effective as an electrical bond between each contactor or contact and the connector.

A further object is to provide a connector in the form of a coiled spring having retracted convolutions functioning, when expanded by being stretched between adjacent pins, to maintain electrical'bonded connections with such pins.

A further object is to provide a continuous length flexible connector for interconnecting a plurality of contactor pins step by step and which can be severed at the final pin as a complete unitary connector under tension.

A still further object is to provide a unitary connector for specific association with the contactor pins of a control board for wired circuit cards in a tape perforating assembly.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 represents a perspective of a connector embodying one form of the present invention;

Fig. 2 represents a fragmentary perspective of the bottom of a control board showing the connector of the invention in use;

'Fig. 3 represents a bottom plan of a contactor control board showing the connector of Fig. 1 operatively connecting certain selected contactor pins;

Fig. 4 represents a fragmentary elevation of a conactor board ready to be lowered for circuit closing elation with the contacts of a printed circuit card.

Referring to the drawings, connector 10 is shown in Fig. 3 as operatively associated with pointed contactor pins 11 projecting from a face of a control board 12 of States Patent electrically insulating material to be lowered for circuit 2,945,200 Patented July 12, 1960 ice a card 15 inthe present instance, forms one of a number of such cards arranged generally in parallel spaced relation, each having a row of the contacts 13 projecting from the same margin of a card. It is a function of the control board 12 to, lie lowered to press the contactor pins 11 respectively into. the contacts 13, it being understood that the pins 11 are arranged in matching rows with respect to the contacts 13. Thus with the board 12 properly aligned above the card 15 the contactor pins 11 respectively enter the contacts 13 whenthe board is lowered to its operative position for setting up tape perforating circuits to respond to a keyboard circuit selection.

For association with and to form a good electrical connection with the connector 10, each contactor pin 11 has a tapered point16 which diverges to arcylindrical head 17 having an extension stem '18, this latter being fixed in a hole in the board to mount the pin 11 perpendicular to the face of the board. In the particular assembly, hereunder consideration, namely an electronic tape perforator, there are over four hundred pins in the board 12 arranged, preferably, in separate banks, each of which represents a field for predetermined perforating of a tape or card for stored information. The selection of a field to perforate a tape to produce a predetermined result such as a program requires particular contactor pins 11 to be connected to a source of voltage.

For the purpose of supplying such voltage to the pins 11, to be selected for the desired result, the connector 10 is provided. The connector consists of a coil spring having normally closely retracted convolutions inherently.

resisting separation when the spring is under tension. Also the internal diameter of the spring coil is such as to permit a pin to enter freely. Knowing the pins 11 which are to be supplied with voltage, the user passes one or more of the convolutions of the spring 10 over the first pin of the series and stretches the spring to the next pin where certain of its convolutions are passed over this second pin thereby placing the spring length between the two pins under tension and thus making good electrical contact between each pin and the convolutions passed thereover. This operation is repeated for all of the remaining pins of. the selected series, in each instance maintaining ten-v sion, and at the end pin of the series the spring is severed thus leaving all of the pins connected to a continuous length of connector under the tension required for perfect electrical contact with all of the selected pins. By reason of the inherent flexibility of the spring connector pins can be connected longitudinally, transversely, diagonally or any combination of these at the users discretion. Figs. 2 and 3 illustrate two connecting arrangements of the coiled spring connector.

What is claimed is:

l. A terminal board comprising a panel of insulating material, a plurality of electrically conductive terminal pins extending from said panel, and a resilient connector for connecting ones of said aforementioned terminal pins, said connector being formed of convolutions of spring material normally defining a flexible elongated tube-like structure, certain of said convolutions along the length of said tube-like structure being flexed transverse to the elongation of said structure to positions encircling said pins so that the axes of the flexed convolutions are generally parallel to the axes of said pins, and with the convolutions between said pin encircling convolutions exerting a force in tension to cause said pin encircling convolutions to make good mechanical and electrical connection with said pins.

2. A terminal board comprising a panel of insulating material, a plurality of electrically conductive terminal pins extending from said panel, and a resilient connector for connecting ones of said aforementioned terminal pins,

volutions being flexed to positions encircling said pins,

whfireintheaxes of saidconvolntions are transverse to said and"are'gnera1ly,Para1lltothe axes oflth'e pins, andwi'th the convolutions between saidipjn encircling convolutions ,exerting a force in tension to cause said' pin encircling; convolutions to make good mechanical and electricalconnection with said "pins.

3. A terminalboard tcomprising a panel of insulating material, atplurality ofelectrically conductive terminal pins extending fromhsaidflpanehfand a resilient connector being formed of convolutions, of "spring material normally defining; an ,axis, groups of 'said convolutions .alongi'the length of said connector being flexedlto positions .encirclingsaid pinsjwhereinv theraxes of 'said, groups of convolutions are transverse to said axis andv are generally parallel to the axes of the pins, and'with' the. convolu-r tions, between said "groups exerting a: force in tension to cause said groups tomakegoodmechanical and electrical connection with said pins.

4. Aterminal board comprisinga panel of insulating material, a plurality of electrically conductive terminal pins extending from said panel; and a resilient connector for connecting random ones of said aforementioned terminal pins, said connector-being formed of convolutions of spring material normally defining an axis, groups of said convolutions along the length of said connector being flexed to positions encircl fii'g'said randomly located pins wherein the axes of said groups of .said. convolutions are transvers'e'tosaid axis and are generally" parallel to the axes of the pins, and with the convolutionsbetween said groupstexerting'a force in tension-to cause saidgroups to make good mechanical and electrical connection with said randomlylocated pins.

References Cited inthe file ofthis patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,465,100 Johnson Mar. 22, 1949 2,477,653 Roane u -Aug. 2, 1949 V FOREIGN PATENTS 482,563" Germany Sept. 18; 1929 495,672 France July'8, 1919 

